Friedrich w



F. w. F. BERGER CASH REGISTER May 13, 1930.

Filed May 28 192? Patented May 13, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRIEDRICH W. F. BERGER, OF BERLIN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL CASH REGISTER COMPANY, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND CASH REGISTER Application filed May 28, 1927, Serial No. 195,051, and in Germany July 5, 1828.

This invention relates to cash registers and the like machines, and more particularly to improvements in the keyboard mechanism, adaptable to the type of machine shown and described in Letters Patent of the United States, No. 1,619,796, issued to Bernis M. Shipley on March 1, 1927.

One object of this invention is to provide a key locking and releasing mechanism whereby certain depressed keys will be released during each operation of the machine, and certain other depressed keys will remain in their depressed positions to be released manually.

With this and incidental objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in appended claims and a preferred form or embodiment of which is hereinafter described with reference to the drawings which accompany and form part of this specification.

Of said drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of one of the banks of keys the depressed one of which is released on each operation of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of one of the banks of keys wherein a depressed key is not released by the machine.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a part of the releasing mechanism.

General deseraptz'on In a machine of the class shown and described in the above mentioned patent to Shipley, it is sometimes desirable to have means for printing a number which can be used for identification purposes, such as, for instance, a ledger number, stock number, size number, etc. The numbers set up are not added on a totalizer and are not exposed on indicators, but merely printed on a record strip and on a receipt.

Heretofore, generally, all of the depressed keys have been released at the end of each op eration, and in registering a series of trans actions, in which it was desired to print a certain part of the same identification or ledger number on each entry, it has been necessary to press the same keys on each opera tion of the machine. To overcome this, the banks of keys are divided into two groups.

The depressed keys of one group are re leased automatically on each operation of the machine. Those of the other group are re leased only by manually operated releasing means.

Key board The keys 10 (Fig. 1) and 11 (Fig. 2) are mounted in identical key frames 12, supported by rods 13 and 14, carried by the side frames of the machine, not shown. Each of the keys has a key pin 15 cooperating with a hook 16 on a detent 17 carried by an arm 18 pivoted on a shaft 19, there being a detent 17 adjacent each bank of keys. These hooks 16 are held against the pins 15 by a spring 20, one end of which is secured to the detent 17, and tensioned to urge the detent in the direction of the arrow. When a key 10 or 11 is pressed, the key pin 15 thereon moves the detent 17 and arm 18 clockwise until the pin 15 passes the shoulder on the hook 16, whereupon the spring 20 returns the detent to its normal position, thus locking the key in its depressed position. When the depressed keys are released, as will presently be described,

they are returned to their outward or normal positions by springs (not shown) coiled about the key stems in a manner well known in the art.

K ey release The shaft 21, well known as the release shaft in a machine of the type to which the invention is shown applied, is rocked first clockwise to release the machine for operation, and then counter-clockwise near the end of the operation, to release the depressed keys. The mechanism for giving the shaft 21 its rocking movement, is well known in the art and is not shown or described herein.

Cooperating with the detent 17 associated with the bank of keys 10 (Fig. 1) the depressed one of which is released on each operation of the machine, is a rod 22 (Figs. 1 and 3) carried by two arms 23 and 24, pinned to the shaft 21. When the shaft 21 is rocked counter-clockwise near the end of the operation, the rod 22 is moved to a position shown by the dotted circle 25, engaging the cam surface 26 on the hook 27 of the detent 17 thus rocking the detent clockwise and releasing the depressed key. This is the usual method of releasing the keys.

A rod 28 is provided to cooperate with the hooks 2.7 of the detents 17 associated with keys I]; (Figs. 2' and These keys, when depressed, are not released automatically during the operation of the machine, and. can be released only by operating the manual key releasershown in the. patent referred to. The rod 28 is carried by two arms 29 and 30, pivoted on the shaft 21'. The arm 29: has a rearward extension portion 31, which: carries a pin 32 projecting into arecess'in a rearward extension 33 of the arm 24, previously described. Byreferring to Fig. 1 it can be seen that the shaft 21 and the arm 24 must move a certain distance ina counterclockwise direction before the side 34; of the recessin the extension 33 of the arm 24 contacts the pin 82. The rod 28 is thus given a lesser movement: than the rod 22.. During the operation of the machine the rod 28 (Fig. 2') is moved only to a position adjacent a camming shoulden 36. Thisposition is shown by the dotted circle 85- (Fig. 2'). Since the rod 28 does not move the detent 17, (Fig; 2) the keys 11 are not released during an operation of the machine.

WVhen it is desired to release the keys 11, the usual release lever provided in machines of this typ.e,is operated manually. The manual releaselever is shown in thepatent referred to. This lever gives the shaft 21 a greater movement than that. which it receives onan operation of the machine" The additional movement of the rod 21 is also given the rods 22 and 28, which causes the rod 28 (see Fig. 2") to: contact the camming shoulder 36' and move the detent 17' to release a. de-

1 pressed key 11.

Clearly, the number of banks of keys 11, which it is desired to maintain depressed through a series of operations, can be varied by merely changing the. location of the arms 24 and 29.

While the forms of mechanisms herein shown. and described are admirably adapted to fulfill the objects: primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine theinvention to the forms or: embodinrent' herein disclosed=, for it is susceptible of embodiment: in, various forms all coming within the-scope of the claims; which follow.

hat; is claimed: is:

1-". In a machine of, the class described, a plurality ofbanks of depressible keys divided intotwo: groups, a; releasing detent for; each bankof keys, a release shaft capable of'recei-ving a given movement upon. operations of the machinei-and capable of receiving a greatkeys during an operation of the machine, a

second rod free on said shaft and cooperating with the releasmg detents of the second group of said banks of keys, and a slot and pin connection between said rods for mov-v ing the second rod a shorter distance than the first rod to prevent release of the depressed keys in said second groups of banks of keys during an operation of the machine.

2. In a machine of the class described, a plurality of banks of depressible keys divided into two groups, a releasing detent for each bank of keys, a release shaft capable of receiving a movement on operations of the machine andv capable of. receiving a greater movement by manual means, a rod fixed to said shaft and cooperating with the-releasing detents of one of the groups of said banks of keys for releasing the depressed keys during an operation of the machine, a second rod free on said" shaft but connected to the first rod by a slot and pin and cooperating with the releasingdetents of the second group of said banks of keys to release the depressed keys when the shaft is moved manually.

3. In a machine of the class described, a.

plurality of groups of banks of keys, a releasing detent for said banks of keys, cam

surfaces on said detents, the cam: surfaces on the detents for one group of banks of keys being located in advance of the cam surfaces of the detents for the other group of banks of keys, a release shaft, a release rod cooperating with cam surfaces on the detents of each group of banks of.keys,.and connections between said. release shaft and rods-to cause:

the rods to move with the shaft to cooperate with the cams on; said detentsto move the detents to; release the depressed keys of one group of banks of keys upon a short movement of the shaft, and to move the detents for-the othergroup upon a longer movement of said shaft.

4. In a machine of the class described, in combination with a plurality of depressible keys, and a. release shaft adapted to be operatedby the machine and also manually; of meansfixed on the shaft to release certain of the keys upon operation of therelease shaft by the machine means loose on. the shaft to release other of said keys onl-yuponthe manual.

operation of the shaft; and connections between said means to operate the second means upon the manual operation of the release shaft, said connections being constructed to prevent operation of'sai'd' second means when:

therelease shaft is operated by the machine.

5'.v In a machine of theclass describechthe combination of a plurality of manipulative devices,.a detent associated with eachof. said devices to maintain: the same inv a. moved. po

19 of the shaft.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FRIEDRICH W. F. BERGER. 

